Stair-pad



(No Model.)

M. H- MARCUS.

STAIR PAD.

No. 521,593. Patehted June 19, 1894.

avioewtoz NATIONAL uwoemmnma comuuv.

WASHINGTON. a. c.

UNrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN H. MARCUS, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

STAlR- PAD.

SPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters .Patent No. 521,593, dated June 19, 1894.

Application filed March 8, 1 894. Serial No. 502,903-' (No model.)

of its original softness, and capability of be- To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN H. MARCUS, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stair-Pads; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri ption of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in stair pads.

A variety of pads have been constructed heretofore in which an edge of the pad was curved or bent into a nosing adapted to grip the outer edge of a stair tread, and thus render the use of nails at this point unnecessary. A few of these may be briefly alluded to for the purpose of making clearer the novel features and advantages of my present invention. For instance, a pad has been constructed of felt with a nosing formed at its outer. edge by bending the felt at this point while the felt is moist or wet. This style of pad 7 has never come into general use for obvious reasons among which is the fact that it is too costly and furthermore itis not soft and cannot be cleaned. Another variety is partly madeof paper and loose elastic filling. A pad thus constructed soon becomes hard, lumpy and matted and of course cannot be washed or readily restored again to its normal state. Still another style of pad has been furnished with curved stifitening nose forming strips secured as a lining to the covering case part at the nosing. But this construction is likewise objectionable because it could not be washed, does not retain its shape, and more especially because when constructed with a paper lining the bend had to be made comparatively large else the paper would become cracked or broken. The consequence was that the nosing was not only unnecessarily large but also did not fit the stair edge properly, and more material was required in consequence to cover and form the pad than would have been absolutely needed if the paper could have been bent in a smaller curve, all these defectsI have successfully remedied in my own pad which has for its objects cheapness of construction, softness and retention ing cleaned, washed, and restored to its original shape. And it consists in layers of cotton batting preferably placed together and having a nosing formed at one edge by applying a sizing of chemicals calculated to stifien the pad at that point and then forming it into a curved nosing between formers or in other suitable manner.

It further consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of my improved pad. Figs. 2 and 3 are details showing mode of construction and Fig. 4 is a modification.

. A A represent twolayers of cotton batting. These may be variously placed together but preferably the two layers are put together as follows: One of the layers of batting is longer than the other and the ends a a are folded over the shorter layer. Then a sizing or stiffening solution is applied to a certain portion of the surface of one of the layers, usually the lower side of the lower layer and the outer edge for about three and a half inches is folded under as shown so that the sizing or stiffening solution aswell as the ends a, a, are inside. The pad thus far formed is placed under rollers or other compressing devices so that the sizing or solution is forced into the interstices of the batting and the latter becomes more or less completely impregnated with'it and the two become homogeneous so to speak. Then the folded portion with incorporated stifiening solution is bent over a mold or former and allowed to dry and harden in a kiln, oven or suitable drying chamber. The ends a a thus constitute reinforcing strips which give added strength to the pad at the ends and help in retaining the shape of the pad which has already been given it. The gripping capacity thus given at these points would be about sufficient to hold the pad on the edge of the tread but in addition to this gripping of course the entire nosing also grips the entire length of the stair .nosing. An outside casing of muslin or other materialis placed over the batting and the portion under the nosing is pasted to the nosing so as to conform to its shape at this point. When thus put together the tread portion is preferably quilted, tufted, or otherwise fastened.

While cotton batting is generally used and preferred, wool, shoddy, or carded cotton might be employed just so these are formed into batting or in sheets.

The sizing or stiffening solution may be variously compounded but I have found that glue with water or glue and glycerine, or glue, glycerine, and gelatine make avery good solution for the purpose. This makes a sufficiently rigid nosing and at the same time a sufficiently yielding one and any amount of wear and tear will not destroy the shape of the pad. The pad may be pounded or washed to remove dirt collected in it and by quilting it, it does not lose its shape, evenness, or its pliability and elasticity. In short it cannot become lumpy or matted.

As a modification four or any number of layers of batting may be employed, instead of two layers only, as previously described.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth, but

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A stair pad composed of two or morelayers of soft elastic material secured together and having one edge bent to form a nosing, said nosing portion having a stiifening solution applied to and incorporated therein to give it sufficient rigidity to preserve its rounded shape, substantially as set. forth.

2. A stair pad composed of layers of cotton batting one edge of which is bent to form a nosing and having a stifiening solution applied thereto whereby to give it suflicient rigidity to preserve its shape and the remaining portion, tufted or otherwise fastened to hold the layers together and preserve the normal shape of the pad, substantially as set forth.

3. A stair pad composed of layers of soft material, one edge of which is reinforced by additional layer of the same kind of material which forms the body portion, said reinforced portion bent to constitute a nosing, substantially as set forth.

4. A stair pad composed of layers of softmaterial, one edge of which is reinforced by additional layers of the same kind of material which forms the body portion, said reinforced portion having a stiffening solution applied thereto and bent to form a nosing, substantially as set forth.

5. A pad composed of layers of batting or equivalent material, onelayer longer than the other and lapped around it, a portion coated with a sizing, or stiffening solution and folded upon itself and this folded portion pressed to force the solution into the interstices and formed into a curved nosing, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN ll. MARCUS.

\Vitnesses:

J. C. LOWENBACH, WILLS LEE. 

